Wrapping machine



amh 1951 E. D. BOYCE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1949 INVENTOR. -EDWA12 v. E5OYE Patented Mar. 6, 1951 WRAPPING MACHINE Edward D. Boyce, Cedar Grove, N. J assignor to Curtiss-Wright Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application April 23, 1949, Serial No. 89,175

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for wrapping stranded material, tape, or the like, in a helical path, around a continuous core such as hose, cable, or the like.

Machines for the helical winding of tape around a core are known in the art and it is believed that virtually all of thes require a separate feeding mechanism for th core material in addition to the wrapping apparatus. In this invention, the axial feeding of core material and the wrapping of tape or the like on the core material is accomplished in one and the same mechanism and concurrently, the wrapped tape or the like is pressed against the core material into intimate engagement therewith. The machine of this invention is capable of adjustment to enable a wide variation in the pitch of the helix established by the tape winding and is furthermore free from any need for separate feeding mechanisms; all that may be required is a feed reel for the core material and a takeup reel for same, the latter requiring no precise speed control which is normally needed to establish the desired helix pitch on the core material.

An object of the invention is to provide a selffeeding cable wrapping mechanism where the feed of the cable or the like through the wrapping machine is controlled within the machine itself. A further object of the invention is to provide a cable feeding mechanism in a wrapping machine which shall also serve to iron the wrapping material upon the cable, for the elimination of wrinkles and the like and to assure a firm close bond between the tape and the cable. A further object is to provide a feeding mechanism for wrapping machines which is capable of adaptation to existing forms of wrapping machines with a minimum of modification and complication in the original wrapping machine. Still another object is to provide wrapping machine improvements which will allow wide latitude in the size of cables or other core material used, the nature and width of the wrapping tape or other material, and a wide latitude of helical pitch in the wrapping of the tape or other material upon the core.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent in reading the annexed detailed description in connection with the drawings in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts and in which- Fig. 1 is an elevationof a wrapping machine setup; r

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the wrapping head; and I Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the wrapping head.

Wrapping machines of the type herein described are used for wrapping helical layers of wire, tape, or other filamentary material upon a continuous cylindrical core. The core may comprise insulated or un-insulated cable, hose, or other material as desired. For the purpose of describing the invention in the specification and claims, the terms tape and core will be used for simplification, but these terms are to be understood to comprehend any sort of core material and any sort of wrapping material.

In Fig. 1, I 0 represents a feed reel for core material and I2 repres-nts a takeup reel for core material, these two reels being spaced apart and each being driven if desired by motors M and I6 and transmissions l8 and 20 respectively. The core 22 runs ofi of the reel I and onto the reel l2, and passes through the wrapping machine 25 which is driven by a motor 25 through a belt or the like 28; This setup is generally similar to those which have appeared in the prior art, with the exception that the reels IE! and I2 are driven through slip clutches incorporated in the transmissions l8 and 2. In particular, the reel I2 is driven merely to impose a moderate tension upon the core 22, through the clutch in the transmission 20 to provide snug winding of the core on the reel I2 without imposing upon the core 22 a positive linear feed rate.

The wrapping mechanism 26, shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a fixed mounting plate 32 having an opening 35 therein and having secured thereto a bearing ring 36 concentric with the opening 34. Upon the ring 36 is mounted a rotatable wrapping ring 38, comprising preferably a sheave 40 on its periphery which is engaged and driven by the belt 23 driven in turn by the motor 26. A flange 42 retains the rotatable ring 38 from axial displacement and the flange along with the bearing ring 35 is secure-cl to the plate 32 as by screws 44. The wrapping ring 38 carries a bracket 46 secured to the ring by screws 48, the bracket carrying an adjustable reel 50 on a journal forming part of the bracket, the reel containing tape 52 which is to be wrapped upon the core 22. The reel 50 is adjustable in its angular and spatial relation relative to the ring 38 so that tape 52 will run off of the reel 50 and onto the core 22, at the desired point of delivery to the core, in a smooth path according to the helical pitch desired in the wrapped core material.

A spoke member 54 is secured to the wrapping ring 38 as by screws 56 and extends across a diameter of the ring, this spoke member providing a mounting for a guide bushing 58 concentric with the ring 38 and through which the core 22 passes in its travel from the feed reel to the takeup reel. The bushing 58 has a central opening slightly larger than the diameter of the core material to enable the latter to run through the bushing freely. The bushing is cut away at its leftward end as shown in Fig. 2 to leave guide fingers Gil whose purpose will shortly become apparent.

Upon the spoke member 54 are mounted opposed feed rollers 62, freely rotatable in adjustable clevises 8d secured in blocks 66 rigid with the spoke member 54. The attachment of the clevises 64 includes shaft elements 68, radial with respect to the ring 38, which may be adjustably rotated in the blocks 66 to various angular positions. When properly adjusted for tilt and engagement of the rollers with the core 22, they are fixed in the desired positions by means of set screws 1'0. The rollers 62 preferably comprise small metallic wheels having tires of elastic material such as rubber, these tires serving to engage firmly the surface of the core 22 passing through the winding machine.

The axes of the rollers 62 are askew with respect to the axis of the ring 38 and the obliquity of their setting establishes the axial advance of the core 22 for each revolution of the wrapping ring 38 as the roller tires bear on the core. If these rollers were set with their axes parallel to the core 22, no axial feed would take place but as the ring 38 rotates about the core 22, the rollers would merely bear upon the core, and their rotation is enforced by their engagement with the core, with no axial core feed. As the obliquity of the axes of the roller 62 is increased by adjustment as dcseribed, to an acute angle, rotation of the ring 38 will still enforce rotation of the rollers 62 on their own axes, as the core is held against rotation and the obliquity of the rotating rollers 62 will then enforce axial movement of the core 22 through the wrapping head as the ring 33 is driven. The amount of obliquity establishes the amount of axial advance of the core for each full turn of the ring 38. and thus establishes the pitch of the wrapping tape.

The tape 52 from the reel 58 is laid onto the core 22 in advance of the passage of the core 22 through the rollers 52 so that the rollers firmly press the tape upon the core, ironing out any incipient wrinkles and providing a smooth wrapped core product. If desired, the tape 52 may be delivered to the core 22 immediately under one of the rollers 52 so that the tape is ironed onto the core immediately.

In the embodiment shown, two rollers 62 are provided and these rollers engage the core 22 between the fingers 69 of the bushing 58, these fingers overcoming any tendency for the core 22 to move eccentrically relative to the ring 38.

If desired, fingers such as 60 may be dispensed with, and one or more additional rollers 62 may be incorporated in the machine, the rollers being equally spaced around the core 22. Thereby the core is held concentric with the ring 38 by the rollers alone.

Fig. 3 is provided with arrows showing the direction of rotation of the ring 38 and also, the direction of rotation of the rollers 62 when the machine is in operation, it being assumed that the core 22 does not rotate during the winding process. There is a tendency for the core material 22 to twist in its passage from the feed reel 10 to the takeup reel I2, under the influence of the torque imparted thereto by the rollers 62 and by the tension on the tape 52. However, the torsional windup of the core 22 is limited and as a winding run progresses, the torsional windup will remain substantially constant throughout the run to permit of a uniform helical lay of tape upon the core 22.

It will be seen that the wrapping and feeding mechanism herein illustrated and described is wholly self-contained and requires no extraneous feeding system for the core material 22, the rate of feed of core material through the wrapping mechanism being wholly controlled by the angular setting of the rollers 62 relative to the plane of rotation of the wrapping ring 38. If the angle of the axes of the rollers 62 is at degrees to the plane of rotation of the ring 38, no axial feed will result and as this angle is decreased from 90 degrees, the rate of axial feed of the core through the wrapping ring will increase. There is a practical limit beyond which this angle may not be decreased but this is unimportant since the pitch desired in the wrapped core material also reaches a practical limit which is usually less than the axial feed capability of the mechanism.

For any particular feed setting of the axes of the rollers 52, there will be an optimum angular setting for the tape reel 58, in order that the tape may run from its reel onto the core without wrinkling. These adjustments may be calibrated if desired but are usually settable by a skilled operator with no difliculty and without the need for calibrated adjustments. Any width of tape may be used, and the machine may be set for spaced, abutting, or overlapping tape turns.

The machine above described has broad utility but is particularly useful in wrapping abrasion resistant tape upon insulated electrical conductors.

Though but a single embodiment illustrating the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention may be applied in various forms. Changes may be made in the arrangements shown without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and reference should be made to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a winding machine having a rotated ring through which a substantially coaxial core or the like may move in an axial direction, and having a reel on the ring carrying a tape or strand for wrapping, helically, on the core as the ring r0- tates; a guide bushing on and concentric with the ring through which the core passes, a pair of opposed idling feed rolls mounted on the ring, the rims of said rolls frictionally engaging the cable adjacent one end of said bushing, and the axes of said rolls being acutely angled to the plane of said ring whereby frictionally to enforce axial movement of the cable through said bushing as said ring rotates around said cable.

2. A winding machine ring for taping cores including elastic-rimmed feed. rollers mounted on said ring for free rotation relative thereto, said rollers being disposed to engage the surface of the corefrictionally and their axes of rotation being skewed so as to advance the core through said ring as the latter rotates.

3. A winding machine ring for taping cores incIuding elastic-rimmed feed rollers mounted on said ring for free rotation relative thereto, said rollers being disposed to engage the sur the core frictionally and their axes of r being skewed at an acute angle to the p rotation of said ring, whereby to adva core through said ring as the ring rotat 4. A winding machine ring for taping cores including elastic-rimmed feed rollers mounted on said ring for free rotation relative thereto, "said rollers being disposed to engage the surface of the core frictionally, the roller axes being adjustably skewedwith respect to the plane of said ring; the roller axis skew adjustment enabling a greater or lesser rate of frictional axial feed of t through said ring as said ring is rotate said core accordingly as the skew angle justed'to a small or large angle.

5. Aiwinding machine ring for taping c eluding elastic-rimmed feed rollers mo said ring for free rotation relative there rollers being disposed to engage the surfac core frictionally and their axes of rotation being so set, with respect to the plane of the ring, as to contact a helical path on the core as the'ring rotates around the core. j'

6. A winding machine ring for taping c ores including elastic-rimmed feed rollers mo ed on saidjring for free rotation relative thereto"; said rollers being disposed to engage the surface of the core frictionally and their axes of rotation being so set, with respect to the plane of the ring, as to contact a helical path on the coreas the ring rotates around the core and thus to enforce axial feed of the core through the ring.

7. A winding machine ring for taping cores including elastic-rimmed feed rollers ;mounted on said ring for free rotation relative fthereto, said rollers being disposed to engage the surface of the core frictionally and their axes of rotation being so set, with respect to the plane of the ring, as to contact a helical path on the? core as the ring rotates around the core and thus to enforce frictional axial feed of the core through the ring, and a tape reel on the ring feeding tape on said core in a helical path, in advance of said rollers, whereby the wound tape passes under the rollers and is pressed by the rollers against the core.

EDWARD D. BOYCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 383,353 Gersch May 22, 1888 1,096,513 Lombardi May 12, 1914 2,428,807 Mikin'a Oct. 14, 1947 

